Rubber heel for shoes



H. S. WILLIS June 8 1926.

RUBBER HEEL FOR SHOES Filed 001;. 31, 1922 l vzvazaZr Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED STATES Pei'lftihl'f a;

RUBBER HEEL FOR SHOES.

Application filed October 31, 1922. Serial No. 588,071.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a rubber heel for shoes, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective heel which will provide for a two fold elasticity and greatly increase the non-slip eifect while at the same time providing for the interchanging of the wearing surfaces as well as the renewing of the same.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the interchangeable plugs that they may be screwed into or out of the heel proper by a suitable key, while utilizing the key socket as a vacuum cup..

With these ends in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application 111 which Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a heel made in accordance with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the cushion plugs.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a key adapted to screw the cushion plugs into and out of the heel.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a spring adapted for use in connection with the cushion plugs.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the plugs being omitted.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied 1 represents the heel proper or heel.

body in which are formed threaded recesses 2 and this heel body is adapted to be secured to the heel section 3 of a shoe by the nails 4 or in any other suitable manner.

5 represents the cushion plugs each of which has a threaded body adapted to be screwed into the threaded recess 2, each of said plugs also having a head or tread section 6 provided with a beveled shoulder '4' for seating in a corresponding countersink formed around the edge of each of the recesses 2. Each of these plugs has a key socket 8 formed therein said socket being of any suitable shape in cross section to receive the key here shown as being rectangular and these key sockets are tapered inwardly so as to be readily freed from dirt or other accumulation and also to act as vacuum cups while the faces of the tread sections of the cushion plugs may be roughened in any suit-- able manner, the preferred form of such roughening is clearly shown in the drawing.

From the foregoing discription it will be seen that when a heel made in accordance with my improvement has been secured to the heel section of a shoe the cushion plugs may be readily screwed in the threaded recesses so as to bring the beveled shoulder i snugly into the corresponding countersinks of said recesses thereby securely holding the plugs in place against accidental displacement and also avoiding any overhanging parts which may tend to accumulate dirtor snag upon rough surfaces over which the person wearing the shoe might walk.

In practice the roughened surfaces of the cushion plugs will tend to prevent the heel from slipping and in conjunction with the vacuum cups formed by the key sockets will take a firm hold upon the surfaces over which the wearer is walking thus doubly insuring the wearer against slippage; and as is well known this is of great importance when such heels are used upon city pavements in wet weather.

Where an ordinary solid rubber heel is used unless such heel be of unusual thickness the cushioning effect upon the wearer is relatively small, but by the use of my improvement not only the cushioning effect of the heel body is provided, but the cushioning effect of the plugs is added thereto, and since the weight of the wearer first comes only upon a certain part of the cushion plugs when stepping it follows that these plugs will have a greater compressibility than where the weight of the wearer comes upon the whole body of the heel.

As a further means of increasing the flexibility' of the heel thereby reducing the jar and shock to the wearer I provide a spiral spring which when placed in the recess 2 ahead of the cushion plugs, as clearly shown in 2, these springs will permit a certain amount of give to the plugs when subjected to weight and return said plugs when the weight is removed in the process of walking. The friction of these springs upon the inner surfaces of plugs also tends to prevent the backing out of the plugs.

10 represents a key adapted for use in connection with the cushion plugs, but any shape of key capable of being used to screw said plugs in and out of the heel body may he used.

\Vhile the heel body may be made of rubber of more rigid consistency than the cushion plugs it may also be made of leather since when the plugs are threaded therein a cushion efiiect is had.

One of the marked advantages of my improvement is, that should certain of the cushion plugs become unduly worn, they may be changed to other positions upon the heel, the displaced plugs being inserted where this undue wear takes place or new plugs may be substituted for the worn ones.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. In a. heel of the character described, a body section having internally threaded recesses therein, a series of externally threaded cushion plugs screwed into said recesses,

a tread section formed with each of the plugs, a beveled shoulder formed with the tread section, said shoulder seating in a countersink in the body and a vacuum cup formed in each of the plugs each of said cups being in such shape as to serve as a key socket.

2. A heel for shoes comprising a compressible body provided with countersunk threaded recesses, externally threaded compressible plugs, enlarged tread sections integrally formed with said plugs, and beveled shoulders formed with the tread sections, said plugs being screwed into the recesses until the shoulders seat in the countersinks.

3. A heel for shoes comprising in combination, a compressible body provided with threaded recesses, externally threaded compressible plugs screwed into said recesses, and springs in the recesses engaging the inner ends of the plugs and compressible when the plugs are forced inward due to pressure on said plugs,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HARRY S. WILLIS. 

